Prime spectrum could be used for 4G, says expert

Posted by Louise Tate

The rise of 4G services could provide serious competition to next-generation broadband, IT outsourcing users have been told.

Dr Chris Doyle, senior research fellow at Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick, said at the Westminster eForum that the spectrum freed up by the switch to digital could be used for 4G.

The forum was entitled Progress of the Digital Switchover & Next Steps for the Digital Dividend Review and examined the best ways for the UK's prime spectrum to be used.

Dr Doyle explained that 4G technology has seen a number of improvements over the past few years and could eventually offer download speeds of up to 100 Mbps and upload rates of 50 Mbps.

"What this will offer is the opportunity to deliver very fast broadband services over wireless systems using mobile telecommunications infrastructure," he told the forum.

Dr Doyle also claimed that 4G services will be "very attractive" to users and have the potential to become direct competition to fibre-based broadband.